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M1 Story
Mission 1 Backstory Fictional Basis for M1 * My 50-page Novella "The Lesser Evil - Invasion ?" is the basis for Mission 1 & many key components that unfold in this "S.A. CAM" like: * Emphatic, visceral, 1st Person POV & * A "Factions Schema" that is far richer than the original campaign with its development of Scav Culture. * Then thier are the "Eurasion Mangodai" & another incarnation of the Mastermind gone bad: "Dr. Reed". * To point-out just a couple of the more prominent & innovative elements. * I'm a little more than at the half-way mark in posting it at RTS.net. * By & by I'll transfer it to our "Storytelling" Wiki Space here. * For the moment let me give you the link to this dramatic narrative. * [http://www.realtimestrategies.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=456 The Lesser Evil - Invasion ?] Opening Cinematic * '''CAMERA: Omnicient POV.''' * Swift moving storm clouds, hard rain, thunder & bolts of lightning. * The Troop Transport descends through dark, shifting, clouds which soon part to reveal a turbulent watery expanse. * Riding some short distance above tsunami-like waves the Troop Transport accelerates. * '''CAMERA swoops through & to the interior cockpit.''' * (POV is now looking out through the front windshield, wipers swishing off the relentless downpour.) * The Rookie Commander is standing behind the Pilot & Co-pilot looking out. * '''That now becomes the Camera POV to the end.''' * The Troop Transport is shaking, buffeted by the force of wind shearing, back & forth, up & down. * Braceing himself between the 2 pilot seats, the Rookie Commander begins to discern a thin, unmoving band in the distance that is surely the coastline. * "Are we going to make it ?", he asks. * The Pilots look at each other quick like, smile tightly, turn back straight ahead. * "No doubt about it, Commander.." * All along your hearing, in addition to weather sounds & the metal stresses of the Transport hull, the cackle & static of electronic communications on the fritz. * Before long the coastline is upon them: violent crashing waves, tropical trees doubled-over like a mob of people with really bad tummy aches. * The Transport begins to decelerate, the sound of laboring engines, & eases into a wide turn over the wavering tree tops. * A kilometer inland and the grey outlines of the Forward Base structures become visible through the rain spattered windshield. * What stands out brightly in an otherwise storm drenched landscape are the landing beacons and LZ pad itself. * After circling the foward Base once, the Transport begins a rocky descent, the LZ light-streamers seeming to rise up to meet them. * Then, a jarring touch-down. * "Well Commander, we'd best check on those Greenies aft. There may be some puke we'll have to deal with." Interlude: A.I. Personalities Refed & New Mechanism * Before I continue with Mission #1 Branches, "A" thru "E" let's pause to name our working A.I. Personalities. * There will be Five in this particular CAM construct & I am calling them as follows: * 1.) '''The Eagle''' * 2.) '''The Orca''' * 3.) '''The Octupus''' * 4.) '''The Turtle''' * 5.) '''The Dingo''' * For the moment I'm not going to further define them. It is not essential at this stage. But I will down the road provide some salient & distinguishing behavioral characteristics. * They are integral to the New CAM Branching Mechanisms employed here. * '''NEXT: HOW is this sub-set new gameplay mechanism implemented ?''' * It is thru a proposed expansion of the Feature-Set of Troman's '''Warzone Starter'''. * THAT Proposal is detailed in '''New Gameplay Mechanisms''' which you can reach directly from the following hotlink * [http://warzone2100.wikicities.com/index.php/New_SA_Gameplay_Mechanics Press Here] * There are a Handful of New Gameplay Mechanisms being employed in this CAM. All are integrated into a seamless whole. * HOW they interlock will be depicted in this first Missions Treatment. * HOW each Mechanism is conceived will be elaborated seperately & in dedicated Wiki Spaces... Initial Briefing for Branched Mission #1 * '''On-Screen with Topogrphical Map''' - Year 2120 - Spring, - Project Forward Base - Yuccatan Penninsula. * '''Voice-Over''' * "Commander..." * "Two days before the storm you flew through, there were sightings by our Vtol Patrols of possible pre-invasion exploratory forces - mainly, but not exclusively, in the foothills due North of our Forward Base. * Your assignment is 5-fold: * 1.) select a Troop Squad to recon the Northern Sector. It is up to you choose your approuch by ground, by air or some combination of the two. * 2.) You must judge any encounters with local tribes as either an alliance opportunity or an unavoidable engagement. * 3.) Intel suggests that the incursion by non-locals may be proceeding with a higher-level tech than we possess.. Excercise caution as far as standing ground & facing-off with these forces. * 4.) Along your way be on the look-out for tell-tale signs of pre-collapse oil reserves or abandoned facilities that may contain valuable tech * 5.) If the opportunity presents itself, try and steal a vehicle from the invaders." * '''End of Mission 1 Briefing''' ----------- * '''Mission # 1 Rationale & Background''' * You been flown in by Troop Transport with a bunch of Greenie replacements to a small Forward Base that has recently had its Commander promoted and who is presently awaiting re-assignment. * You will end-up being his replacement after sucessfully completeing 2-Missions. * The gale-force storm you flew thru caused a lot of damage to the foward base resources. * The wells are down & the $$ sits at around 1000. * This small Forward Base consists of: * a Command Center, * 4-Oil Wells (down till the 2nd Mission), * 2-Builders that are damaged & won't be operational until your 2nd Mission, * Light Perimeter Fortifications, * a badly damaged Borg Factory that is temporarily out of commission, * 2 Bug Vtol Scouts that are also non-operational, * 1 Re-arming pad, * 2 Whirlwind AAs, * a small complement of assorted T2 Borgs * and the Troop Transport Gunship you arrived in. * There's no armor or arty. * You, as a Rookie Field Commander, are given this straight forward assignment of taking a squad to recon the Northern Sector. * Enemy sightings were squad-level, mostly troops, no armor, but some sort unidentifiable vehicle. At least, that is all that was seen. * The sightings have been due North but also NE & NW of the Forward Base. That intel is over 2-days old. * You will choose your squad from the available base pool which includes an Engineer & Mechanic. * You will also have the option of straight ahead marching with your squad OR loading them up on the Troop Transport Gunship & taking to the air to reach the general vicinity of the sightings before going it on the ground. * NEXT: Branching Opportunities & Multiple Outcomes for Mission # 1. M1 Branch "A" Pre-Script Treatment * '''Player Profile:''' * Strong "Turtle" Inclination. * Player dawdles around the base, trying to use the 1 Engineer to Build something. * DEFINED AS NOT exiting the Base Perimeter on the assigned Mission within 10 minutes. * '''Player Opportunity Constants:''' * None in this Branch "A". * '''Player Penalty Constants:''' * Commander Unit Killed ends Mission go back to begining. * '''Scripted A. I. Event-Trigger Constants:''' * At the 10 minute tick....... * ALL-OUT Enemy Vtol Bomber Attack on Forward Base and any player units that seek to run away until everything is destroyed. * '''Random A.I. Personality Parameters:''' * NOT applicable in this Branch "A"... * But in Branches B, C, D & E of Mission # 1 the following will apply. * Any one of 5 Personalities (Random Select thru expanded "WZS" feature-ser every time started, unless resuming a game save), on a sliding difficulty scale, that counts toward Commander Experience Bonus Points (CEBPs). * These CEPBs impact the speed of rising Rank which in turn determines how quickly the player achieves "Brig. Gen." Rank & access to the "GCI"... * In other words, the more Difficult the opposing "A.I. Personality" the more CEBPs. * These CEBPs donot impact "Accuracy" or "Defensive Effectiveness" (or whatever is defined as a criteria) Boons of any engaged units - those rewards are derived from enemy kills or unit survival from mission to mission or other criteria. * These CEBPs ONLY impact the Commander's Rising Rank as far as access to the "GCI"... M1 Branch "B" Pre-Script Treatment Part 1 & 2 * '''Part 1 of 3:''' * '''Player Profile:''' * Dutifully Loads Troop Transport Immediately & Heads due North * '''Player Opportunity Constants:''' * 1.) An opportunity to gain combat experience..... CEBPs towards "GCI" aquisition. * 2.) Opportunity to STEAL Tech ! * (My purpose here is to depict a particular Structural Pattern of the "Trunk & Branches" and NOT to detail all the permutations within the framework....) * AFTER Scripted A.I. Event Trigger #II detailed in "Trigger" section the following applies: * IF you proceed N. with or without the Scavs you will encounter 1 of the 5 A.I. Personalities. (They are randomized) * Same if you proceed E or W. * IF at this juncture you turn-back S to the FB you will trigger an all-out assault that you cannot survive. * Let's say you continue N with the Scavs. * N leads to a river valley with a small enemy encampment. * On this run through you will face "The Eagle" personality. (Next time, it could be "The Turtle", "The Orca", "The Dingo" or "The Octupus".) * But no matter what A.I. Personality is in control there will always be 2 things in common: * 1.) An opportunity to gain combat experience..... * 2.) Some Tech to STEAL ! * For the sake of KISS - your not only this time encountering the "The Eagle" Personality but * The Tech you may steal are 1 or 2 Enemy Troop Gunships with stronger armor & greater speed but..... Can only hold half the payload of your Project Transport..... * Which means if your squad is intact the only way they can ALL fly back is to STEAL BOTH enemy gunships. * Then there are the Scavs... * If you have formed an alliance with them, under NO circumstances they can they fly back with your squad. They have to get to the FB by land. * So again - another choice, another fork on the road, another opportunity for your commander to gain CEBPs or NOT. * So you have quite a few alternatives & consequences before you... * '''Part 2 of 3''': * I'll just touch on a few basic variations. * 1.) You engage & are annihillated.... Back to the begining. * 2.) You engage.... Gain experience and retreat back to the foward base without the Enemy Troop Gunship Tech. * The enemy will give chase so there is no assurance of surviving. * 3.) You steal the enemy transports & make it back to the FB with your Squad but abandon your Scav Allies. * 4.) Part of your Squad returns to the FB by air & part, including your Commander, return by land with the Scavs. * ....... & so on.... I'm not gonna exhaustively depict all the permutations.... * You get the general concept. M1 Branch "B" Pre-Script Treatment Part 3 * '''Player Penalty Constants:''' * 1.) The death of your Commander Unit effectively nullifys any chance of success but you can continue to play till your remaining squad is annihilated. * '''Scripted A. I. Event-Trigger Constants:''' * You leave the Foward Base by Troop Transport and head due North. * '''Trigered Event # I:''' * A dozen tiles out your attacked by enemy Vtols. * They will keep attacking until you are- * a.) Destroyed * b.) Or make an emergency landing... After which they'll fly away. * '''END of Event I.''' * IF (a.) then you start all over. * IF (b.) depends weather you proceed on foot N or you change course & head E or W. * Let's say you continue N * '''Trigger Event #II:''' * Your squad encounters a band of Scavs. * They are NOT auto-registered as hostiles. Which means you have to choose to try and destroy them manually. * Again, a fork on the road: * a.) You destroy them - minimal experience gain & you go on. * b.) You donot fire on them and thereby assume control of them. They become part of your group. * (Now one Scav in particular has a striking appearance. He is wearing an odd assortment of borg body armor. If this Scav survives this mission and returns with you he will become a borg recruit & become your right arm as a native scout. Let's give him a name: Mastar of the Scar. We may have occasion to refer to him by & by in the thought experiment.) * '''Random A.I. Personality Parameters:''' * 1.) '''The Eagle''' this time but next play through could be: * 2.) The Orca, 3.) The Octupus, 4.) The Turtle, or 5.) The Dingo. M1 Branch "C" Pre-Script Treatment Part 1 * "Part 1 of 2:" * '''Player Profile:''' * Loads Troop Transport Immediately & Heads NE * '''Player Opportunity Constants:''' * Encounters with Scripted A.I. Events & Random A.I. Personality afford opportunities for all Player units to gain "Experience & Rank" & concomitant boons. * Player's Avatar Unit "The Commander" has opportunities for Commander Experience Bonus Points (CEBPs) predicated on responses to Random A.I. Personality * These CEPBs impact the speed of rising Rank which in turn determines how quickly the player achieves "Brig. Gen." Rank & access to the "GCI".. * IF Player stays the course through 1st EventTrigger & follows Enemy Vtols to their Mountain Citadel there will be an opportunity to recover the precursor to New Hydrogen Tech. (I'll specify L8r...) * IF Player vears sharply at 1st Event Trigger there will be an opportunity to recover the precursor to New Hydrogen Tech. (I'll specify L8r...) * '''Player Penalty Constants:''' * IF the Player's Avatar Unit "The Commander" is killed the player can continue to play until all units are lost. * Since a basic pre-requisite of Mission Success is the survival of the Player's Avatar Unit "The Commander" - if killed, the Player goes back to the Briefing & starts again. * '''Scripted A. I. Event-Trigger Constants:''' * Flying due NE the Troop Transport comes under heavy AA fire 20 tiles out. These belong to a Map Pre-Built small FB. * IF the Player Turns NW before the 20 Tile Trigger THEN * Branch "B" Variant is Triggered * IF Player flies thru (over) the enemy FB THEN 2 lightly armed enemy Vtols are Trigger-Spawned. They'll harry the Player's Troop Transport for 2-minutes but don't have enough fire-power to do any significant damage. * After 2-minutes they will head due NE. IF the player lands within 15 tiles of the Enemy FB they will encounter Mine-fields & whatever Random A.I. Personality is in play - in this case "The Dingo". * (CONTINUED) M1 Branch "C" Pre-Script Treatment Part 2 * '''Scripted A. I. Event-Trigger Constants:''' * IF the Player chooses to follow the 2 Enemy Vtols due NE THEN the Player will encounter an FB as a Mountain Citadel. * At the base of the Mountain there are Enemy LIGHT armor Units. These represent New Tech in the form of Hydrogen Fuel Cell power plants. * The perimeter is guarded with a handful of Borg Sentries lightly armed. * The Player can engage these sentries and Steal the armored units IF the Player acts decisively within 10 minutes of entering the defined courdon. * IF the Player waits longer than 10 minutes the Armored Units can no longer be stolen & the Citadel FB launches 3 Medium armed Gunships that will decend & attack. * The Player can fight back &/or retreat. * Their is NO penalty for retreating at this stage. The Gunships will only pursue to the small AA FB & then return back to the Citadel. * IF in retreat S. the Player vears W. THEN * Branch "B" Variant * is Triggered * IF in retreat S. the Player vears E. THEN (in this play) the "Dingo" A.I. Personality is encountered & all the rest described below. * IF Player retreats S. back to home base BEFORE the Enemy Citadel Encounter THEN you will trigger an all-out assault that you cannot survive. * IF Player turns sharply NE of enemy FB THEN (in this play) the "Dingo" A.I. Personality is encountered. * It is also in this "Branch" that the Player has the opportunity to recover the precursor to New Hydrogen Tech. (I'll specify L8r...) * To recover that New Tech the Player will have to successfully deal with whatever A.I. Personality encountered. That DOESNOT mean the Player has to defeat the A.I. Personality but - the Player will definitely have to out-wit it. * '''Random A.I. Personality Parameters:''' * This play thru "The Dingo".... Next time could be: * 1.) The Eagle, 2.) The Orca, 3.) The Octupus or 4.) The Turtle. M1 Branch "D" Pre-Script Treatment Part 1 * "Part 1 of 2" * '''Player Profile:''' * Loads Troop Transport Immediately & Heads NW * '''Player Opportunity Constants:''' * 10 Tiles out the Player receives a Radio Transmission from the FB HQ: this is a persistent Scripted A.I. Event. * '''The Transmission is as Follows:''' * "VOICE-OVER with Topographic Map:" * "Commander... * We have just received a distress call from a downed Transport 20 clicks from your curent heading ..... West on the coast. * The casualties are unspecified but our forces are engageing hostiles. * Your Orders are to proceed directly to their vicinity and lend a hand in holding back or defeating the enemy forces. * Need I remind you to protect your Transport from becoming scrap metal. * After you have neutralized the enemy you are to escort all survivors back to FB HQ. * Our condition here, as you well know, precludes our being able to send reinforcements or assistance of any kind. * Your on your own, Commander. * Good Luck ! HQ out....." * '''END of Transmission''' * These hostiles are a one-time (@ Normal Difficulty Setting), Script-Spawned Event. * They are a "Mangodai" Borg exploratory contingent made-up of: 2 AT, 2 Grenadiers, 2 AA, 2 Snipers, 3 HMg, & 2 Pulsers, 1 Mechanic, & a ranked Commander. * They are also in a position to call in 1 Vtol strike consisting of 2-waves made up of: 3 Canon Fighters accompaning 2 Plasmite Bombers. * By wiping them out OR by retreating you will enable the "Random A.I Personality". (In this play-thru, "The Orca".) * There are NO New Tech Recovery opportunities in this Branch "D".. (CONTINUED) M1 Branch "D" Pre-Script Treatment Part 2 * "Part 2 of 2" * '''Player Opportunity Constants:''' * IF you vear NE before the 10-Tile Marker & Radio Transmission you will invoke the Branch "B" variant. * Encounters with Scripted A.I. Events & Random A.I. Personality afford opportunities for all Player units to gain "Experience & Rank" & concomitant boons. * Player's Avatar Unit "The Commander" has opportunities for Commander Experience Bonus Points (CEBPs) predicated on responses to Random A.I. Personality * These CEPBs impact the speed of rising Rank which in turn determines how quickly the player achieves "Brig. Gen." Rank & access to the "GCI".. * '''Player Penalty Constants:''' * Commander Unit Killed: Mission must be re-played. * Retreat without bringing back any survivors from the downed Transport is effectively a failed mission and will invoke an all out Enemy Bomber Assualt that won't end until your wiped-out. * You must defeat the Spawned Enemy Units at the Crash Site or it will be a failed mission. You DoNot, however have to defeat the random A.I. Personality involved. You can fight for experience but you can also retreat at any time and if you already fullfilled the victory you will succeed in advancing to the next mission. Scripted A. I. Event-Trigger Constants:''' * Radio Transmission * Spawned Enemy Units. * GEO Directional Condition that would trigger Branch "B" variant. * The 2 conditions invokeing the Random A.I. Personality. * All Out Enemy Bomber Assualt Trigger if you retreat to FB without achieving defined Victory Conditions. * '''Random A.I. Personality Parameters:''' * In this play-thru "The Orca", next time could be: * 1.) The Eagle, 2.) The Octupus, 3.) The Turtle Or 4.) The Dingo. M1 Branch "E" Pre-Script Treatment Part 1 * "Part 1 of 2" * This Branch is the coup de grace, the whole "kitchen sink" including an "Easter Egg". * '''Player Profile:''' * DoesNOT use Troop Transport & instead marches out of Foward Base in less than 10 minutes thus not invokeing "Branch A" * Marching....... * '''Due N invokes Branch B''' in its entirety. * '''Due NE invokes Branch C''' in its entirety. * '''Due NW invokes Branch D''' in its entirety with one exception: by not useing the Troop Transport New Tech is Triggered for recover within a 5-tile proximity of the Downed Transport. * The Radio Transmision is invoked this time with the following changes: * '''VOICE-Over with Topographic Map''' * "Commander... * We have just received a distress call from a downed Transport 20 clicks from your curent heading ..... West on the coast. * The casualties are unspecified but our forces are engageing hostiles. * Your Orders are to proceed directly to their vicinity and lend a hand in holding back or defeating the enemy forces. * You must continue to proceed on foot as our only working Transport had to be dispatched to pick-up much needed supplies. * After you have neutralized the enemy you are to escort all survivors back to FB HQ. * Our condition here, as you well know, is bad we need to hold back what we have till reinforcements arrive.. * Your on your own, Commander. * Good Luck ! HQ out....." * '''END of Transmission''' M1 Branch "E" Pre-Script Treatment Part 2 * "Part 2 of 2" * '''In Sum:''' * This Branch allows that Branches "B, C & D" be played-out before moving on to Mission # 2 with one condition: * If after the completion of any "Branch" the Player loiters at his FB for longer than 10 minutes before moving out again then the Mission #2 Pre-Brief will be Triggered thus baring any un-played Branches on this play-through. * '''Player Opportunity Constants:''' * As per un-played "Branch" triggered.... * '''Player Penalty Constants:''' * As per un-played "Branch" triggered. * '''Scripted A. I. Event-Trigger Constants:''' * As per un-played "Branch" triggered. * '''Random A.I. Personality Parameters:''' * As per random protocol any of the following (or custom plug-in pack): * 1.) The Eagle * 2.) The Orca * 3.) The Octupus * 4.) The Turtle * 5.) The Dingo[/b] M1 Branches "A to E" Commentary=